The Hercules engines – we now have 12 of these engines for our Halifax bomber restoration – are NOT just another aircraft engine like the Merlin. They are a separate and unique design called a SLEEVE VALVE engine, bearing no resemblance to the inner workings of a Merlin engine. The Hercules engine produced more horsepower than a Merlin and as the war advanced from 1939 to 1945 it powered the Halifax bomber, the Stirling bomber, the Wellington bomber, and the Beaufighter in the front lines of air combat. HOW is the Hercules engine different – this “sleeve valve” engine – a picture is worth a thousand words, so watch this animation of how HERCULES works:

Thanks to talented gear-head die-hards like Dan Hawken, Derek Squire, Bruce Finlay, Ian McCaughtrie, Patrick Smart, Peter Grieve, Todd Lemieux, Ben Schwartz, Kris Smith, and last but NOT least – the present Hercules Team of Hugh Gilchrist and Bob Jackins – with me assisting, we have taught ourselves how to understand, fix, and RUN Hercules engines ! THIS engine is what won the war, from 1940 to 1945, in the main for the RCAF Canadians and, IN PART, for the RAF British. IF we can keep the Hercules engines alive, we keep alive the memory of all those unheralded bomber boys and aircrew that strapped a Hercules or 4 to their bodies, flew them to hell and back, and helped win the war. To this end, with 12 Hercules engines now acquired by H57RC and the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta — plus our tons of spares — we have acquired the precious knowledge to run our engines.

NOW,  we present to you our newest triumph YESTERDAY as HERCULES No. 3 sleeps no more !!

50+ years of slumber is now over and she has awakened in a little town in Alberta where the true spirit of our Bomber Boys lives! So watch as all of us were amazed and rewarded for our hard work on Hercules No. 3 as yesterday she lit up quickly and RAN, considering all those moving parts. YES, she burped a bit as soon as she lit up, after half a century. There was a bit of ”sleep” in her eyes (actually some gas line sediment in the inlet line into the engine – driven fuel pump which caused a restriction of fuel flow).But we cleaned that out right away. THEN on the second start in the video, she sat up and said “I am feeling pretty good lads”, and to celebrate her arrival. I was enthused enough to do a ”happy dance” on behalf of Hugh and Bob and the Hercules groupies attending such an awakening.

See NO. 3 Hercules resurrection on video – attached to this report –  done so well by Ken Cook, our new videographer from Calgary who covered the exciting action yesterday.

So now, I guess Nanton, Alberta is arguably the Bristol Hercules engine capital of a place called EARTH, which you may have heard of. I have not heard from the lads in OZ rebuilding the Beaufighter so they might put up a protest but not now, with us having 3 running Hercules. ROY FEDDEN and BUNNY BUTLER of Bristols – you owe us a beer because you built these beauties, all 62,000 of them and now we carry your torch. Oh, I forgot to mention, because I know you are gonna ask – what Hercules have you picked to be No. 4 Hercules for your Halifax? Well we have the luxury of 2 complete engines from a Hasting transport, Hercules 216 types, just like our awakened No. 3, thanks to the wonderful folks at the RAF MUSEUM who heard about our Halifax restoration at BCMC and awarded us these 2 beauties. Thanks Harry Raffal and Team! The 2 Hercules above are still in the UK and we are raising the money to ship them ($8,000) by our UK 20-foot Halifax parts container to the REBUILDSHOP and BCMC in June.

”Gives us the tools, and we will finish the Job” – WC

In closing, we have a saying, ”It is not the dog in the fight, it is the fight in the dog” – we press on, regardless

WE LEAVE NO HALIFAX BEHIND

Cheers, KK